Bowling is a hobby/sport enjoyed by millions of people around the world with demographics including amateurs, such as occasional participants and organized league bowlers, as well as tournament and professional level bowlers. The largest segment of the bowling population is by far the amateur bowlers. To accommodate the many skill levels of bowlers, even amongst amateurs, bowling balls are designed to best suit a person's skill level or proficiency.
Bowling balls are also drilled with different finger hole layouts and positioning to match an appropriate skill level. The three types of bowling ball finger hole layouts are (1) a conventional grip, most commonly used for beginners and occasional bowlers and applied to “house” supplied inexpensive bowling alley balls, (2) the semi-fingertip grip, not typically used by many bowlers, and, (3) the fingertip grip, most used by amateur league bowlers, tournament and pro bowlers. The present device will appeal to and aid the third group, which is also the largest segment of bowlers, as they prefer the fingertip grip.
The fingertip grip requires more hand strength, but allows the bowler to release the ball cleaner and with more lift, giving the bowler more control in how the ball rotates after it is released. Bowlers that throw a hook ball typically use the finger tip grip.
Most popularly, the two fingers inserted into a fingertip ball are the middle and ring fingers, but only to the first (outermost) finger joint. From a mechanical or physical standpoint, upon final release of the bowling ball, the weight of the ball is leveraged against the user's two fingertips creates a potential for strain or injury in a number of the hand areas. This is a significant problem for competitive bowlers. The present device, properly used, will significantly reduce the chance of finger, tendon and wrist injury, as well as enhance the bowler's overall experience.
In the past, bowlers have been known to tape the adjacent pinkie finger to the ring finger to provide greater support and reduce strain on the finger and hand. Further, there are a number of devices, braces, gloves, and finger inserts available to a bowler who is attempting to achieve comfort and create a consistent hook shot. Such bowling aids can often be expensive and cumbersome when applied to the hand or wrist. The need exists for a bowling aid which is inexpensive, far less obtrusive and can be slipped on and off without the need to secure with any type of strap or mechanical clasp. Additionally, a device which may be used in conjunction with other types of bowling aids is also desired.
From a physical standpoint, when the bowling aid is used proactively on a regular basis, it dramatically reduces the conditions for a bowling finger, wrist strain or injury to occur. If however, a bowler experienced this type of injury prior to ever wearing the bowler's aid, the bowler could help speed up his recovery time by using this invention. Although the predominant user of the disclosed device will be bowlers, it may also be used to provide relief, comfort and protection for participants in other sports or activities or when a hand/finger injury has already occurred. For example, the device may be used to protect a baseball batter's fingers while holding a bat, a hockey player's fingers while gripping a stick, or most any other similar application. In essence, the disclosed device is not only a device to improve one's bowling skill, but it may also be used to help nurse a player back to hand and wrist health by stabilizing and strengthening the fingers and tendons typically used when participating in sports like bowling.
Until the device of the present application, these and other problems in the prior art went either unnoticed or unsolved by those skilled in the art. The present device provides a simple, adjustable, compatible, and protective aid for the hand and/or fingers without sacrificing comfort or affordability.